Instep-arch supporter.



E. L. WHITE.

INSTEP ARCH SUPFORTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1918.

m 93,. Patent-@d sept. 17,' 19m 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. v5 wuewloz my @Hozmus useful Improvement in Iii'step-Arch Sup-` EDWARD L. WHITE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

unsrer-ARCH surronraa.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented Sept. 17, 19418.

Application filed May 21, 1918. Serial No. 235,817.

To all whom t may concern.'

' Be it known that I, EDWARD L. l-Vrirrn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and porters, of whichthe following isa specifical tion.

. The object of myinvention is to provide certain improvements, in the construction,

. shape and arrangement of the several parts of the arch supporter wlierebv the arch supporterl may be readily adjusted to suit different requirements in the treatment of the in- An important feature of my invention is the decreasingand increasing of the play7 of thearched supportingplate members against the tension of one or more coil springs dis- 'ppsedlengthwise of the supporter and spanning the arch.

,Another important feature is the shape vof the arched supporting plate so that when Weight is applied to the arch support, there will be a tendency for the outer side of the support to be depressed and the inner side raised to cause the plate to give greater sup- Vport to the inner side of the arch of the foot y where the support is needed. '0

` Support having two or more members, means My invention generally 'comprises an arch flexibly connecting them, tension springs and means for adJusting the linut of the arching i- IDOVBIIIEII Of the IllembeI'S.

'tion in its VMy invention more particularly comprises in its preferred form, an arched supporting' plate divided transverselv into front, intermediate and rear members, means-flexibly connecting the members, spring means normally holding the members at the limit of theirv arching movement and adjusting means to limit the arching movement.

`'Practical embodiments ofv my invention in the accompanying draw- Figure l represents one embodiment in tcp plan,

F 1g.y 2 represents the same in bottom plan',

Fig. 3 represents the same in side eleva- Ation enlarged in its normal arched position,

and

' F in. 4 represents the same in side Aele-valattened position against tension of springsr Fig. 5 represents in bottom plananother "embodiment,

Fig. 6 is ay view of the same in top plan. Fig. 7 represents the same in side elevation enlarged with the adpistable means for limiting the arching movement in one position,

Fig. 8 is a similar view with the adjustable means iii another position.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to l inclusive, the arched supporting plate is divided transversely into front and rear .members 1 and 2 and an intermediate member 21. This plate has a short outer side 3 and a long inner side e1 connected by' curved ends 5 and 6. This plate is arched longitudinally and this, together with the shape of the plate, creates a tendency when weight is applied thereto. to depress the outer side of the plate and raise the inner side so as to cause the plate to give greater support to the inner side of the arch of the foot, where the support is most needed. I

Means such as one or more flat spring metal strips T. (in the present instance two) iieXibly connect the members, bridging the ydividing lines 22, 23, between the members l and riveted or otherwise secured at 9 to said members.

Spring means such as one oi' more lengthwise disposed coil springs 10, in the present instance two, are provided for normally holding the members at the limit of their arching movement, said springs bridging the dividing lines 22, 23, and riveted or otherwise secured at 11, at their ends to the front and rear members 1 and 2. Adjusting means for limiting the arching movement of the members comprises two depending screws 12 having their heads countersunk in the members 1 and 2, and a bridge piecev 13 spanning the dividing lines 22, 23 and bearing against the under faces of the members 1 and 2. Nuts 14 threaded on the ends of the screws 12 bear againstthe bridge piece 13.

In the embodiment .shown in Figs. 5' to 8 inclusive the arched supporting plate is divided transversely into front and rear mem- 1 bers l and 2 only. Ilie means which lieXibly connects these Atvvo members in this form is shown as comprising the two fiat spring metal strips 7' bridging the dividing line 8.' 10' also bridge the dicomprises a depending screw 12 having its'A head countersunk in the members 1 and 2 at the dividing line v8, a rigid bridge. piece 13 which spans-tl'ie-.saiddividing line and a'nut In both of the embodiments above described, the limit of the arching movement of the plate is increased or diminished to increase or flatten the arch to the desired extent by screwing or unscrewing the,l nuts 1I.

'The greater the limit of the arching movement the greater will be the play of the members under the tension of the coil springs l0.

A suitable protective covering 20 may be provided for the arched plate in both of' the embodiments, Which covering may be cut away to gain access to the kerfs in the heads of'the screws 12.

It is obvious that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the embodiments herein shown and described, but

What I claim is:

l. In an article of the character described, an arched plate dividedtransversely into a plurality of' members, means fiexibly connecting the members and one or more lengthwise disposed coil springs for normally holding the members at the limit of their arching movement. l

2. In an article of the character described,

an arched plate divided transversely into a plurality of members, means flexibly connecting the members, one or more lengthwise disposed coilsprings for normally holding the members at the limit of their arching movement and adjusting means to limit the arching movement.

3. In an article of the character described, an arched plate divided tiansversely into a plurality of members, means flexibly connecting the members, one or more length- Wise disposed coil springs for normally 4holding the members at the limit of their` arching movement and adjustingmeans to limit the arching movement, said last named means comprising a bridge piece, a depending screw and an adjusting lnut engaging said screw and bridge piece. 4. In' an article of the character described, an arched plate divided transversely into a -plurality* of members, means flexibly connecting the members, one or more lengthwise 'disposed coil springs fornormally holding the members at the limitof their arching movement and adjusting means to limit the arching movement, said last. named means navales comprising a bridge piece, depending screws and nuts engaging said-screws and bridge piece.

4 3. In an article of the character described, an arched plate divided transversely into a plurality of members, means flexibly connecting the members, adjustable means for decreasing and increasing the play of the members and spring means for normally holding the members at the lin their arching movement.

i. In an article of the character described, an arched plate divided transversely into a plurality of members` means flexibly .con- 'net-ting `the members,'adjustable means for decreasing and increasing the play of the members and spring means for normally holding the members at the limi-t of" their arching movement, said means comprising depending screws, a bridge piece carried thereby and nuts engaging said screws andi bridge piece.

7. In an article of the character described, an arched platel divided transversely into a plurality of members, means flexiblyconnecting the members, adjustable' means 'for decreasing and increasing the play of the members and spring means normally holding the members at the limit of their arching movement.

S. In an article of the character described, an arched plate divided transversely intoa plurality of members, one or more'fiat spring metal strips fiexibly connecting the members, adjustable means for decreasing and increasing the play of the members, and one or ymore coil springs connecting the front and rear members for normally holding the members at the limit of their arching movement.

9. In an article of the character described, an arched 4supporting plate divided transversely into a plurality of members and means flexibly connecting the members. said plate having a short outer side and a long inner side connected by curved ends.

'10. In an article of' the character described, an arched supporting plate divided transversely into a plurality of members,

means flexibly connecting the members, said plate having ga short outer side and a long inner side connected by curved ends, and spring means normally holding the plate at the limit of 'its arching movement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this 20th day of April, 1918.

EDWARD Ii. VVIIITE. 

